1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns mycophenolic acid derivatives as agents in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, in particular rheumatoid arthritis.
2. Previous Disclosures
Inflammatory diseases, in particular rheumatoid arthritis, have been treated with a variety of compounds representing many structural classes, including, for example, the corticosteroids, aspirin and related compounds, derivatives of arylacetic and arylpropionic acids, relatives of phenylbutazone, gold salts and penicillamine and its derivatives. However, no representative of any of these classes of compounds is regarded as ideal.
Mycophenolic acid is a weakly-active antibiotic found in the fermentation broth of Penicillium brevi-compactum. It has now been discovered that certain mycophenolic acid derivatives and related compounds are useful as agents in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, in particular rheumatoid arthritis.
Compounds somewhat structurally similar to the compounds of the present invention are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,705,894; 3,853,919; 3,868,454; 3,880,995, in Japanese Pat. No. J 57024380, in the J. Antibiot., 29(3), 275-85, 286-91 (1976), and in Cancer Research, 36(8), 2923-7 (1976). The disclosed compounds are described as having anti-tumor, immunosuppressive, anti-viral, anti-arthritic and anti-psoriastic activities.